Which club?

[groily]

What destroys an old bike club quickest, too many newer uninteresting bikes there just to keep the numbers up, or not enough older bikes and riders due to Old father Time?

Well . . . 
The former changes and undermines the ethos, no doubt about that at all Rex.
But the latter is an existential threat!
Neither is good, I agree totally.

What we really need is more younger people on old machinery. So easily said.
But it's quite some Ask given the knowledge, facilities and skills gaps, and the tendency of younger folk quite naturally to want things they couldn't have when they were starting out, like us with our own choices from days of our youth.

I only know a small handful of people in their 20s and 30s with what we would count as older machinery. We know they're just fantastic people - but their contemporaries think they're seriously weird!

When Classic Bike started publishing in 1978, I was 23. I had a 'classic' as my sole daily transport in London, but it was only 2 years older than me. (Funnily enough, it still is and I still have it).

What if I were 23 today, and had a 25 year old machine  . . .??
Oh, I do, I have a . . . Japawuki.
A being from another galaxy might inquire "Why do you human people think a tired '53 AMC twin was a 'classic' in '78, but an '00 japawuki isn't in 2026?"

We know instintively why it isn't / can't be, and we ensure that these things remain so because we have the power to define them. For now! It can only go in one direction though, I reckon.

[Angus]

Hi All, obviously I am biased as I love the VMCC, get to do 40+ runs a year with my local section (If I want) + attending multiple other events around the country e.g. Scarborough week, Weymouth Week etc.

Rex, The 25 year rule is NOT a new thing, it was brought in, in the 1960's by the club founder Titch Allen. With Hindsight I do think 25 years is not enough and it should probably be aligned with the DVLA rolling 40 historic classification. But change in any club is hard and we would could loose quite a few members if we went ahead with that. And what ever cut off you have eventually you are going to get what people feel are 'modern' bikes joining runs.

The club and sections do try and have events for specific classes of bike, e.g. girder fork runs, tiddler runs or runs like Banbury which stick to the clubs original cut off of before December 1930. We also sometimes have multiple routes for different types of bike (or members).

I think the bottom line is that as with every club or organisation, particularly a large one, it is hard to please all the people all the time.

[CheeserBeezer]

..........With Hindsight I do think 25 years is not enough and it should probably be aligned with the DVLA rolling 40 historic classification. But change in any club is hard and we would could loose quite a few members if we went ahead with that......................

Maybe, but not necessarily. If they enjoy the camaraderie, they might go out and buy a proper classic to continue to qualify for the events. If they're only prepared to join in on a Kawaplaccy maybe we're better off without them?

[Rex]

It's all rhetorical for me anyway as my VMCC membership lapsed some years ago, and the high-handed pronouncements of the hierarchy plus the ridiculous annual fees added to the rancour and pomposity exhibited on the VMCC forum back then made my leaving a certainty.
I now enjoy the company of a bunch of like-minded riders (all older bikes) where the next location for tea and a bacon bap is more highly thought about than the strict adherence to Rule 3, sub 1, para 3 line 45 of someone's little rulebook.

[BagONails]

For the VMCC Maybe an idea might be dividing the runs up into chapters something along the lines of 'Pre-war and veterans', 'High days and Hey days post war up to say 65'. 'Late models and Domesday machines 65 - 85'. All British of course as an early eighties japanese 2 stroke is going to be a weapon compared to a last of the line parallel twin or push-rod single and generally appeal to a different style of rider.  We have a separate club for Japanese classics which is very popular.

Our local BSA Club doesn't distinguish, any age BSA is welcome although we do have some rides during the year that are designated for small bikes ie. Bantams C15's etc.  We still don't have any new Indian BSA's being sold here yet but I'm sure most of those that appear in the club will be existing older members looking for something that is easy to handle with better brakes and starts at the push of a button and who can blame them. We have a few new and old Royal Oilfields, Notruns and Trumpy's that show up but they always tag along behind the Beezers and park up a bit separate so as not to dilute the one marque effect.

We have a discounted registration scheme for vehicles over 25 years old with use restrictions, 50 days a year. This includes compulsory third party insurance. Not a bad scheme but I have to question why people driving rusty 25 year old Toyotas and Nissans with electronic ignition and fuel injection are admitted...are they really enthusiasts?

[sean]

I am in the CVMG [ Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group ] and the Ontario BSA owners group as there arent a lot of old BSAs around here anymore and finding spare parts is difficult .
I enjoy going to the swap meets I used to know a lot of people at them but the majority arent on the green side of the grass any longer .
I do agree there are a lot of rivet counters that put off people and not over friendly either , our local CVMG meets are at a pub I dont go as I dont drink and its so noisy in there I cant hear what anyone is saying even with my hearing aids .
if we cant get younger people to join and continue restoring these old machines I am afraid the hobby will eventually die off along with us.
Hopefully I am wrong .

[jhg1958]

I joined the VMCC. There are very active groups near me that have routes that pass close to me.

I look forward to some good trips and long chats.

John